Does the Church Know What Day It Is?

[BamaRider]

I thought I had this figured out, but after this thread* I am *confused.

 

[jfallaw]

Excellent post. IMHO, the vigil Mass is just another instance of the dumbing down of the faith.

I must admit that, while it may be that the Vigil Mass was instituted just to give lazy pseudo-Catholics an excuse to miss Sunday Mass, it also helps those uf us who work nights and cannot attend Sunday Morning Mass.

 

[Leopard]

…it may be that the Vigil Mass was instituted just to give lazy pseudo-Catholics an excuse to miss Sunday Mass…

No. Lazy pseudo-Catholics who will miss a Mass on Sunday will also miss a Mass on Saturday evening.

 

[jfallaw]

No. Lazy pseudo-Catholics who will miss a Mass on Sunday will also miss a Mass on Saturday evening.

lol too true

 

[Digitonomy]

Then the post Vatican II Church in America comes up with this idea of the Vigil Mass on Saturdays.

As others have noted, this was not something enacted by Vatican II, but part of a trend that began before the council of decreasing the length of the required fast. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen good documentation on when local indults allowing anticipated masses began appearing on a regular basis.

Here is a good post on this topic:

Chatter163:

The eucharistic fast was changed from midnight to three hours before communion by Pope Pius XII in 1953, with his decree. *Christus Dominus. *This originally was for Sundays and holy days only.
papalencyclicals.net/Pius12/P12CHDOM.HTM

Its guidelines were extended by Pius XII in 1957 to include weekday Masses.
ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/P12FAST.HTM

The one-hour fast was established in 1966 by Pope Paul VI, at which time he also gace bishops’ conferences authority to determine rules of Friday abstinence. adoremus.org/PaulVI-Penance.html

Permission for Saturday evening anticipated Masses (a somewhat different concept from a traditional Vigil Mass) was given in different times and locations, but it was universally recognized in 1967 by Paul VI in number 28 of Eucharisticum Mysterium.
adoremus.org/eucharisticummysterium.html

 

[bluerose]

I can only speak from my experience growing up. And that is that somewhere around 1970 or so, our parish added a new Saturday Vigil Mass that is counted as if it were Sunday.

Are you saying that the Saturday Vigil Mass was as common before Vatican II as it is now?

Mabye not, but the Sunday “blue laws” were in effect back then and fewer people worked on Sundays.

And I resent the implication that Catholics who attend Mass on Saturday evenings are somehow less devout than the Sunday morning goers. My father is 88 and prefers a less crowded Mass since he suffers from hearing loss, weak legs and sometimes audible intestinal disturbances, not to mention that mornings are difficult for him to get moving around.

But that doesn’t keep him from Mass. Only those who would suggest that the Saturday evening Mass is for “lazy pseudo-Catholics” would.

 

[Jenny_Z]

Mabye not, but the Sunday “blue laws” were in effect back then and fewer people worked on Sundays.

And I resent the implication that Catholics who attend Mass on Saturday evenings are somehow less devout than the Sunday morning goers. My father is 88 and prefers a less crowded Mass since he suffers from hearing loss, weak legs and sometimes audible intestinal disturbances, not to mention that mornings are difficult for him to get moving around.

But that doesn’t keep him from Mass. Only those who would suggest that the Saturday evening Mass is for “lazy pseudo-Catholics” would.

Excellent example, thanks for sharing bluerose

 

[jfallaw]

Mabye not, but the Sunday “blue laws” were in effect back then and fewer people worked on Sundays.

And I resent the implication that Catholics who attend Mass on Saturday evenings are somehow less devout than the Sunday morning goers. My father is 88 and prefers a less crowded Mass since he suffers from hearing loss, weak legs and sometimes audible intestinal disturbances, not to mention that mornings are difficult for him to get moving around.

But that doesn’t keep him from Mass. Only those who would suggest that the Saturday evening Mass is for “lazy pseudo-Catholics” would.

haha I hope the sarcasm was quite clear in my post, especially since I immediately included, it also helps those uf us who work nights and cannot attend Sunday Morning Mass. I get off work at around 9am Sunday morning, and honestly would be of no ‘service’ during the Mass. But as I go to work at 11pm, the 6pm Saturday Vigil is perfect for me. 6pm is my 10am lol